Biggest Myths

Article Type: Quick and Dirty

University of Where...The Myth of the No-Name School

Think that any school you’ve never heard of probably stinks?
Think again. The reality is that there are thousands of schools in the United
States. College counselors haven’t even heard of them all. Most of
the time, you hear about schools because of sports or because of top ranking
lists, both of which aren’t the best reason to choose one. Have an open mind when a school pops onto
your radar; it might end up being a great fit for you. And guess what? As soon
as you hear about the school, you’ve heard of it.

An alternative version of this myth holds that the opposite
is true – that a big-name school is going to equal happiness, riches, and a
guaranteed ticket into graduate school. Nope. Check out our Find Colleges search
engine to find colleges that you may be interested in.

The Myth of “More Is
Better”…Applying to Lots of Colleges Is the Way to Go

Reality: This is like saying “I’m not going to read
the menu, but I will order one of everything to make sure I get something I
like.” Applying to colleges takes money and time. Instead of
applying to a gazillion schools, put in the work to create a short list full of
schools where you have a good shot at getting in and where you would be happy
to attend.

And then the
opposite…

The One-Application
Myth…Focusing on the One School Where You Really
Want to Go

Reality: Ummm . . . can you say all of your eggs in one
basket? Keep your options open. It’s great if you have one school
where you really want to go. But guess what? Tomorrow you
might change your mind. Or get a rejection letter from that school.
Now what?

The Legend of Private
“Reach” Schools and Public “Safety” Universities

Are private schools usually harder to get into, and should
public universities be reserved for fallback schools? Reality: Short answer:
no. Long answer: Pretty much no. Yes, some public universities more
or less check for a pulse when admitting students, but others are
uber-competitive. Same goes for private schools. It’s best to
thoroughly understand each school’s admissions requirements and not make any
assumptions.

The Legend of
Big-School Diversity

This is a popular legend, up there with the Loch Ness
Monster. Loads of folks believe that
diversity (of people, opportunities, and experiences) only comes in big
packages. Reality: Sure, large schools generally have more ethnic diversity. But
all schools are going to attract people with different backgrounds, and at
smaller schools, you will be more likely to interact with those people. Plus,
even smaller schools have a few thousand people, which means thousands of
different interests, clubs to join, activities to learn, and more. Check out What the Heck’s Out There
to learn more about the different kinds of schools.

If You Don’t Know
Where You’re Headed, Go Big…The Myth That Undecided Students Need A Big School

Reality: Sure, bigger schools usually have more choices. But
they also have more people. For undecided students, a better choice may be a
smaller school with general requirements that introduce them to a range of
subjects before they need to declare a major. Also, consider schools with
strong advising programs, so you can get some help on which major would be best
for you.